The main culprits in the Syrian crisis are not the rebels or Assad but the West and Russia.

The media, earlier this
month, was flooded with photos of panic-stricken, bloodied men, women and
children wearing oxygen masks, some unconscious. The scenes were captured after
the Syrian government headed by Bashar Al Assad dropped a deadly chemical bomb
inciting huge international outrage.

The attack claimed the lives
of as many as 100 including scores of children. In a war that has become a
playground for the West and Russia, US President Donald Trump was quick to
condemn the incident and called it an ‘affront to humanity’. Russia, on the
other hand, was quick to cover up for its ally. It said that the entire attack
was ‘staged’ and even vetoed a United
Nations Security Council resolution that demanded the Syrian government
cooperate with an inquiry into the suspected sarin-gas attack.

This ongoing proxy war and
atrocity in Syria symbolizes the six years of devastation and deadlock that the
country has faced. Even after thousands of deaths and millions being displaced,
it shows no sign of ending anytime soon.

The Syrian crisis began in
the light of the infamous Arab Spring, six years back. When authoritarian
leaders in its neighborhood countries starting falling down one after the
other, protests spread like a wildfire in Syria demanding the resignation of
its President Bashar Al Assad. But little did anyone know that the war would
stretch for so long and tear the entire country apart.

The main culprits in the
Syrian crisis are not the rebels or Assad but the West and Russia. The war
ravaged nation might have met with a happy ending had it not been for the
interference by West and Russia. The West, particularly the US, has been
supporting the rebel groups whereas arch-rival Russia has been an ardent
supporter of Assad; providing it with military and financial assistance. The
foreign meddling in the crisis has only prolonged the mess. In the ensuing
tug-of-war, the only ones to suffer have been the Syrian people. More than
400,000 have lost their lives. More than 11 million have been displaced.

With the level of devastation
that has accrued over time and the hard headedness shown by the authoritarian
Assad, it appears that there are little chances that the crisis will be
resolved militarily. Foreign powers have time and again sought solution to the problem
earlier in the name of ‘international diplomatic efforts’. But such efforts
have been nothing else but mere formality. The US, Turkey and Saudi Arabian
coalition should let-go its stern demand of Assad’s removal. In the six years
of crisis, it has become clear that he isn’t going anywhere. He has to be
featured in the country’s future. On the other hand, Russia should immediately
halt its military assistance to the Syrian government. It is high time it
realize that that it’s tussle with the West, which it has been playing out in
Syria, is bringing no good.

Speaking to the Associated
Press last year, President Assad had said that he could not say when the war
would end. He added that there were strong chances that it would drag on as
long as it was funded by other countries. Assad is right. Foreign powers should
realize the magnitude of devastation the crisis has caused and seek for an
amicable solution. A democratic system might not be in Syria’s fate. But that
could be the only way out.